Soap dispenser



June 19, 1956 p c 2,751,128

SOAP DISPENSER Filed March 16, 1955 INVENTOR. JOHN M. RINCE ATTORNEY ,Zy-G 7 SOAP DISPENSER John M. Prince, Gary, Ind, assignor to Productive Inventions, Inc., a corporation of Indiana Application March 16, 1953, Serial No. 342,485

11 Claims. (Cl. 222-447) This invention relates generally to dispensing devices and more particularly is directed to a dispenser for a comminuted or granulated commodity such as soap.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a dispenser assembly of the plunger or rod operated type in which a helical spring serves the three-fold purpose of urging the plunger in a predetermined direction, as a primary valve for measuring the quantity of commodity to be dispensed, and as an agitator for maintaining the commodity in a container in a loose condition for free delivery or flow from the container.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel closure or cap assembly for a container with a discharge outlet and the plunger with a slidable secondary valve which serves the dual function of closing the outlet before the primary valve or helical spring is actuated and opening the outlet after the spring has been actuated. In other words, the secondary valve will control or only allow the discharge of a predetermined quantity of the commodity measured by the spring.

A particular object of the invention is to provide the plunger with a pair of small helical springs arranged on opposite sides of the secondary valve for maintaining the valve in a predetermined axial position on the plunger for joint cooperation with the outlet and the primary valve.

A specific object is to provide an assembly whereby the small helical springs and the secondary valve assist in preventing the commodity from sticking or otherwise piling up on the plunger.

Another object of the invention is to provide the closure assembly with a member which serves the dual purpose of protecting the secondary valve and funnelling the commodity away from the dispenser as it is discharged from the container.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a guard on the rod for protecting one of the small helical springs supporting the secondary valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a setup whereby the plunger, valves, and springs, including guide means for the plunger, are all carried by the closure or cap for the container.

Also, an object is to arrange the guide means for the plunger so that it assists in maintaining the commodity in a loose condition.

A further object is to design and construct the components in such a way that they can be easily and quickly assembled.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent after the description hereinafter set forth is considered in conjunction with the drawings annexed hereto.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a dispenser, partially in section, to exemplify the structural details of its various components;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the dispenser showing one operative position of the plunger;

Figure 3 is a vertical section illustrating another operative position of the plunger;

Figure 4 is a top view of the cap or closure assembly and a bracket therefor in section;

Figures 5 through 7 exemplify structural details of the bracket whereby the dispenser can be manipulated for refilling; and

Figure 8 is a view showing the dispenser in a depending position for refilling.

The dispenser illustrated in Figure 1 includes, among other things, a support 1; a closure assembly comprising a closure or cap 2 carrying a glass container 3 for a commodity; a cup 4 provided with an outlet 5; a pair of guides 6 and 7 for supporting a plunger or rod 8; a primary valve 9 in the form of a conical helical spring surrounding the rod; a secondary valve 10 slidably mounted on the rod; a pair of small helical springs 11 and 12 encircling the rod and arranged on opposite sides of the secondary valve; and a shroud or funnel member 13 having an opening 14 through which the commodity leaves the dispenser.

Considering the above components and their operative relationship with one another, the support is preferably angular in form and includes a vertical wall 15 and a horizontal base wall 16 having a round opening 17 therein through which the cup 4 of cap 2 extends. The vertical wall is reenforced with the horizontal wall by forming corrugations 18 therein at the junction therebetween.

The support may be mounted as desired but as herein shown, is pivotally connected to a channel mounting bracket generally designated 19 by means of a rivet 20 extending through the vertical wall of the support and a vertical or base wall 21 of the bracket. The bracket is provided with offset flanges 22 having holes therein through which screws or equivalent means can be inserted for fastening the bracket to a wall or other mounting. A bowed leaf spring 23 is secured under tension in the channel of the bracket by the rivet 20 for pressing the vertical walls of the support and bracket against one another. Means are provided for holding the dispenser against accidental displacement in either of two positions. This is preferably accomplished by providing the vertical wall 15 of the support with a pair of apertures 24, located on opposite sides of the rivet. The apertures 24 are adapted to receive a pair of projections 25 on the vertical wall 21 of the bracket for holding the dispenser in either the upright position shown in Figure 1 or in the depending position shown in Figure 8. In other words, the projections and apertures only register with one another when the dispenser is swung to either of the positions just referred to. In all other intermediate rotative positions the projections will bear against the smooth outer surface of the wall 15. The leaf spring 23 causes the projections to snap into the apertures. Obviously, the position of the apertures and projections can be reversed so that the apertures are in wall 21 and the projections on wall 15. The mounting bracket 19 and support 1 above referred to are being claimed in the application of John W. Anderson, Serial No. 343,452, filed March 19, 1953.

The closure assembly includes the cap or member 2 having internal staggered corrugations 26, constituting threads detachably engaging threads on the container. The container is preferably an ordinary glass Mason or Kerr jar. 4 having the outlet 5 at its lower smaller end. The cap is also formed to provide an inturned annular flange 27 which rests upon an outwardly extending radial flange 28 formed on the member 13 with the latter resting on the horizontal wall of the support.

The pair of guide means 6 and 7, above referred to, are generally of inverted V-shape and extend upwardly into the container. Each guide has offset ends bearing against the annular flange 27 of the cap. The guides are Patented June 19, 1956' The cap is formed to provide the conical cup 7 secured crossways or 90 degrees apart by rivets 29 extending through the olfset ends of the guides, through the annular flange 27 and the outwardly extending radial flange 28 formed on the member 13. Each. guide. is also provided with a centrally disposed portion 3.0. having a hole therein for slidably supporting and, guiding the rod 8. The guide 6' is somewhat longer than the guide 7 so that the portion 30 of the guide 6 is located above and axially spaced sufficiently fromthe corresponding portion 3(} on the shorter guide 7 to insure a wall stabilized sup porting framework for the rod.

The conical helical spring 9, constituting the primary valve, has its larger lower end secured in sealed relationship to the material of. the cup portion. 4 defining the outlet and its upper smaller endnormally slidably surrounds the rod between abutment, means 31 on the rod and the portion 39 on, the, guide. 7. The upper end of the rod carries a stop 32 which. is normally forced against the upper surface of the portion. 30 of the longer guide by the spring 9'. The conical helical spring, as will, be described more in detail subsequently, is adapted to be stretched by pushing up onthe rod as shown in Figure 3.

The secondary valve 10,, as mentioned above, is slidable on the rod and it is provided with a conical upper surface 33 for disposition in the outlet 5 when the rod is moved. upwardly. deflecting the commodity more or less radially outwardly onto the member 13 as it falls on the valve from the outlet 5. The lower end of the. rod is provided with a bumper 34 and 21V stop. 35. above the bumper. The bumper is adapted to be. more or less engaged by the palm of the hand. The'valve. is normally resiliently supported between the smaller helical springs 1-1 and 12, which springs respectively engage. theabutment means 31 and stop 35. With this arrangement the secondary valve is located between the cup portion 4 and member 13 and between the, outlets therein.

The member 13 is provided. with a cylindrical wall 36 and a conical wall 37 has the opening 14 therein; It will be noted that the cup- 4 and the member more or less constitute funnels. The member 13 also serves to protect the secondary valve.

The lower helical spring: 12 is protected against a commodity collecting thereon by. a tubular. fitting 38 which is carried by the. rod and'surrounds the spring. The fitting has an end wall provided with an. aperture through which the rod extends. The end, Wallis held between the valve and the spring 12.a.s clearly shown.

Before explainingthe operation of the dispenser it should be pointed out. that if found: desirable, the cup 4.

could be a separate; part secured to the cap in which event the member 13 could be made integral with' the. cap or madeas shown.

The operation of, the dispenser is simple. By merely pushing. up on the bumper 34, the secondary valve will be caused to close the outlet 5 as shown in Figure 2, after which further upward; movement of the rod will cause the conical helical spring 9 to. expand lengthwise as clearly shown in Figure 3 so that some of the commodity in the container-will move inwardly through the convolutions of the spring. The lower small. helical spring 12 is compressed when the rod is elevated as just described and acts to more or less limit the extend of the upward movement of the rod. Whenthe rod is released, the secondary valve will keep the outlet 5 closed until after the spring 9 returnstoits collapsed position, whereupon the secondary valve opens the outlet as. the rod. is forced. and falls to its lowermost positiondetermined by the stop 32 engaging the guide 6. As shown, in thisfigure the upper. smaller end-ofthe spring 9-is normally spaced above the abutment means31 andthe; secondary valve below the outlet 5; This organization fully insures that the secondary valve closes; the outlet before the: ni alpring; egins oan nd. The spring; 9:agitates the commodity in the; container and its-inverted position.

This conical, surface also assists inv also assists in preventing caking or piling up of any commodity within the confines of the spring. While the secondary valve keeps the outlet closed during the complete upstroke of the rod, the rod slides relative to the valve. With this unique setup the primary valve and secondary valve cooperate with one another to hold a quantity of the commodity after being measured oil by the primary valve. After the primary valve has fully collapsed on the downstroke of the plunger, the secondary valve will continue to keep the outlet 5 closed for an interval while the rod slides relative to the secondary valve, whereupon the secondary valve opens the outlet to permit the commodity to fall on the conical surface of thesecondary valve for radial dispersal onto the upper conical surface of the member 13 so that the commodity can fall through the opening 14 more or less in a tubular cylindrical column into the hand operating the rod.

It is to be understood. thatit is not necessary thatthe primary valve be made resilient. For, example, any generally tubular means comprised of a plurality of nonresilient convolutions may be utilized, in. which event means would be provided for contracting. and expanding:

the tubular. means.

It is also to be understood that the expansible and. con: tractible member or spring 9' is comprised of a plurality of opposed portions which normally engage one another so that the commodity cannot flow through the member and that when the member is operated the opposed portions separate to. provide an opening through which the commodity can flow.

Having thus described my invention, it is. obviousthat various other modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be. understood as limiting myself to the exact forms, constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned'.

I claim:

1. A dispenser mechanism comprising a member pro-- vided with an outlet, guide. means on the member, a

rod slidably mounted on the guide means, a helical spring;

having one end connected. to the member adjacent'the. outlet and'its other end connected to the rod, saidspring having. convolutions normally disposed. to prevent the-escape of acommodity therebetween, and a valve slidably mounted on the rod, abutment means on the rod'cooper able with the valve for positioning the valve on the rod, the arrangement being, such that when the rod is moved in one direction the helical springwill be stretched afterthe valve closes. the outlet.

2. A dispenser mechanism comprising a member: provided with an outlet, guide means. securedin fired relation to the member, a rod. slidably mounted. on the guide means and provided withabutment means, a helical spring having one end connected to the member adjacent the outlet, said spring having convolutionsnormallyv disposed to prevent the escape. of a commodity therebetween, and: a valve mounted on the rod and cooperable with the abutment means. to locate the. valve on the rod,v the arrangement being. such that movement of the rodinone: direction will stretch the helical spring afterthe valve closes the outlet.

3. A dispenser mechanism comprising a. closure unit. provided with an outlet, guide means secured infixed. relation to the unit,,a rod slidably mounted on the. guide means, a conical helicalspring havingpne end connected tothe closure unitand its other end'connected' to the rod, said" spring" having convolutions' normally disposedto. prevent passage of a commodity therebetween, and a. valveslidably and resiliently mounted on the rod, the arrangement: being such that when the rod is moved in one direction the helical spring will be stretched afterthe valve closes the outlet.

4; A. dispenser'mechanisrn comprisinga structureprovided with a tapered partzhaving anoutlettherei'nat its small end, spaced guide means on the structure, a rod slidably mounted in the guide means and provided with abutment means, a helical string having one end connected to the structure and its other end connected to the rod, said spring having convolutions normally disposed to prevent passage of a commodity therebetween, and a valve slidably mounted on the rod and cooperable with the abutment means to position the valve on the rod, the arrangement being such that when the rod is moved in one direction the helical spring will be stretched after the valve closes the outlet to permit the flow of a commodity through the spring.

5. A dispenser assembly comprising a cap, a container secured to the cap in an upright position, means extending downwardly from the cap, an outlet provided in said extending means, guide means carried by the cap and extending into the container, a rod extending through the outlet and slidably supported on the guide means, an inverted conical helical spring having its large end secured to the extending means about the outlet and its small end about the rod, said spring having convolutions normally positioned to prevent passage of a commodity therebetween, abutment means on the rod located within the confines of the spring and spaced from the small end of the spring, a stop carried by the upper end of the rod engaging the guide means for limiting downward movement of the rod, a valve slidably mounted on the rod, and means carried by the rod for resiliently supporting and locating the valve in spaced relation to the outlet, the arrangement being such that when the rod is pushed upwardly, the valve will close the outlet, after which the rod slides relative to the valve and causes the abutment means on the rod to engage the small end of the helical spring to lengthen the spring so that a commodity in the container may fiow through the convolutions of the spring and onto the valve, and when the rod is released the convolutions will return to their normal positions to measure off a predetermined quantity of the commodity and force the rod downwardly, after which the valve will open the outlet to permit escape of the commodity measured through the outlet.

6. A dispenser assembly comprising a cap, a container secured in an upright position to the cap, means extending downwardly from the cap, an outlet provided in said extending means, guide means carried by the cap and extending into the container, a conical member carried by the cap and surrounding the extending means, an outlet provided in the small end of the member, a rod extending through the outlets and slidably supported on the guide means, an inverted conical helical spring having its large end secured to the extending means about the outlet and its small end about the rod, said spring having convolutions normally positioned to prevent passage of a commodity therebetween, abutment means on the rod located within the confines of the spring and spaced from the small end of the spring, a stop carried by the upper end of the rod engaging the guide means for limiting downward movement of the rod, a valve slidably mounted on the rod, and means carried by the rod for resiliently supporting and locating the valve between and in spaced relation to the outlets, the arrangement being such that when the rod is pushed upwardly, the valve will close the outlet in the extending means, after which the rod slides relative to the valve and causes the abutment means on the rod to engage the small end of the helical spring to lengthen the spring so that a commodity in the container may flow through the convolutions of the spring and on to the valve, and when the rod is released the convolutions will automatically return to their normal positions to measure off a predetermined quantity of the commodity and force the rod downwardly, after which the valve will open the outlet in the extending means to permit escape of the commodity measured through such outlet so that it may fall onto the conical member and pass through the outlet therein.

7. A dispenser assembly comprising a member provided with an outlet, a container mounted on the member, supporting means carried by the member, a rod slidable on the supporting means and provided with abutment 'means, a helical spring having one end connected to the member adjacent the outlet and its other end to the rod, said spring having convolutions normally positioned to prevent passage of a commodity therebetween and thereby retain a commodity in the member, and a valve carried by the rod and cooperating with the abutment means to position the valve on the rod, the arrangement being such that when said rod is moved in one direction the valve will close the outlet after which the spring will be stretched to permit the commodity in the container to flow through the convolutions of the spring and remain in the member, and when the rod is released the spring Will force the rod in an opposite direction and automatically return the convolutions to their normal positions, whereupon the valve will open the outlet.

8. A dispenser mechanism comprising a structure having a part provided with an outlet'therein at its small end, spaced guide means on the structure, a rod slidably mounted in the guide means and provided with abutment means, a helical spring having one end connected to the structure and its other end connected to the rod, said spring having convolutions normally disposed in predetermined positions to prevent passage of a commodity therebetween and thereby normally retain the commodity in the part, and a valve slidably mounted on the rod and cooperable with the abutment means to position the valve on the rod, the arrangement being such that when the rod is moved in one direction the helical spring will be stretched to permit passage of the commodity between the convolutions after the valve closes the outlet.

9. A dispenser mechanism comprising a closure provided with an outlet, a helical spring having one end connected to the closure adjacent the outlet, said spring having convolutions disposed to normally prevent passage of a commodity therebetween and thereby retain the commodity in the closure, a rod connected to the other end of the spring and extending through the spring and outlet in a manner whereby the spring can be stretched to permit the commodity in a container adapted to be mounted on the closure to flow through the convolutions of the spring to the outlet, abutment means on the rod, and a valve carried by the rod and positioned thereon by the abutment means for keeping the outlet closed only while the spring is in a stretched condition.

10. A dispenser mechanism comprising a member provided with an outlet, supporting means carried by the member, a helical spring having one end secured in fixed relation to the outlet, said spring having convolutions disposed to normally prevent passage of a commodity therebetween and thereby retain the commodity in the member, a rod slidable on the supporting means and extending through the spring and connected to its other end so that when the rod is moved in one direction it will stretch the spring to permit a commodity in a container adapted to be mounted on the member to flow through the convolutions of the spring to the outlet, abutment means on the rod, a valve carried by the rod and positioned thereon by the abutment means for closing the outlet when the spring is stretched, a conical element carried by the member and surrounding the valve, and an opening provided in the element through which the commodity may pass when the valve opens the outlet.

11. A dispenser mechanism comprising a member provided with an outlet, supporting means carried by the member, a helical spring having one end secured in fixed relation to the outlet, said spring having convolutions normally disposed to prevent passage of a commodity therebetween, a rod slidable on the supporting means and extending through the spring and connected to its other end so that when the rod is moved in one direction it will stretch the spring to permit a commodity in a ave-1,1251

container adapted to bemounted on the closure to flow throughthe convolutionsof the spring to the outlet, a valve sIida-bly mounted on the rod for closing the outlet when the spring isstretched, a small helical spring carried' by the rod and supporting the valve, and tubular means surrounding the spring and having an end secured between the valve and the small helical spring.

963,214 Dunwoodie et a1. July 5, 1910 8; Meves Feb. 26, Booty May 10, Booty Sept. 20, Campbell Jan. 28, Saunders Sept. 22, Ward June 7,

FOREIGN PATENTS Austria Sept. 15, 

